By Elijah Silverman
Cooper Rush entered the ball game in week 1 this year against the Bucs. The Cowboys looked like one of the worst teams in the league at that point, but now, after a few weeks, they have actually made some great sports commentators put them in the top 5. In week one, Dak Prescott hurt his thumb. That injury required a season-altering surgery and people wrote Dak’s team, the Cowboys, off. The thing is, Copper Rush never read the letter; he played great and the Cowboys have looked unreal with him under center. People are starting to think he may even be better than Dak Prescott. So, that raises the question: Coop or Dak?
Cooper Rush has played out of his mind, but he has only played a few games. He has shown that he doesn’t fold under pressure and he has defied all odds. However, here is the issue with Cooper Rush: he is going to want a massive contract extension if he is able to get the Cowboys to the playoffs, and if you don’t extend him, then you are going to have to convince Dak Prescott not to leave. If you play Copper Rush then Dak is going to want to leave, and there is no way you will ever convince him to come back. So the big risk with starting Rush is that you might not have a QB next season. On the flip side, Dak Prescott is hurt, and while he is good, you never know where the Cowboys would be with Dak instead of Cooper Rush.
I believe that Dak Prescott is a top 10 QB, so here is what this decision boils down to. Is Cooper Rush good for the Cowboys? Does he have the hot hand? Is Cooper a top 10 QB in the league? The answers are yes, Cooper is great for the Cowboys, yes, Cooper has the hot hand, and no, Cooper is not a top 10 QB.
Here’s what I believe will happen this season: Cooper Rush will start for the rest of the year because he has earned the job. Going into the next season, though, Dak Prescott will have his job back. In the long term, Dak is the best answer for the Cowboys. However, in the short term, the answer is Cooper Rush.
